<b>Chapter </b>94


    Howard noticed it too, and the realization hit him–maybe all of this was just another move in Patricia’s game. They were the ones stuck, scrambling for answers, while she’d already slipped away, living her life somewhere far from their mess.


    He stood in the backyard, hands sped behind his back, lost in thought as he stared out at nothing. “I’m going to need you to pay extra attention to things from now on.”


    Thewyer hadn’t expected that. He paused, then nodded. “Of course. That’s what I’m here for.” As he drove away, the thought lingered–no one exaggerates when they say the rich have their own set of problems. With a life like this, you need nerves of steel just to get through the day.


    That evening, Kelly came home to find Howard still in the yard. She wandered over, trying to lighten the mood.


    “Tina invited us to dinner. She wants to celebrate the Martin family’s new winery opening.”


    Howard almostughed. The Emersons–always so calcting. “So, they think half a year of keeping their distance is enough? Now it’s safe to be friends again?”


    Kelly hesitated, understanding exactly what was bothering him. “I can tell her we’re noting.”


    “Who has the Parsons‘ number?”


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    “Grandma probably does.”


    Howard didn’t say another word. He headed inside, walking fast and determined. In his mind, Patricia wasn’t dead–there was no way. If she was, Chelsea and Jackson wouldn’t have yed nice for six months. If she were really gone, they’d have found a way to drag the Newtons down with them by


    now<i>. </i>


    The fact that everyone was keeping things so civil meant only one thing: the situation was still under control.


    So, Howard decided to reach out to the Parsons. But their answer was blunt–there was nothing to discuss.


    “How’d it go?” Kelly asked as soon as he put down the phone.


    Howard set his phone on the coffee table and let out a quiet sigh. “They said there’s nothing to talk about.”


    “Then forget it. Once this blows over, it’s not like anyone will be desperate to be friends with them.” Howard rolled his ss between his palms, his expression clouded. “You’re making it sound too simple. For most people, sure, public opinion fades. But for the Newtons, if they don’t handle this right, it’s like sitting on a ticking time bomb.”


    Kelly got it, but she really didn’t want to go begging the Parsons for help. “Didn’t you say Patricia’s still alive? Then let’s focus on finding her. Fix the problem at the source.”


    He nodded. “That’s all we can do now.”


    <b>11:18 </b>


    “Any luck?”


    “The Newtons turned us down,” Tina said, reading off her phone. “They said, with all the presstely, it’s not a good time for them to be seen at any events.”


    Ruby’s worry showed all over her face. “So we can’t get Ms. Phipps to meet us, and the family won’t see us either. Are the Newtons trying to cut us offpletely?”


    If that was true, it would make her whole trip from Toronto a joke. If she couldn’t be Mrs. Newton after all, all those times she showed off in front of Patricia would just blow up in her face.


    No way. She had toe up with something else.


    Mrs. Phipps was too hard to reach.


    But Theo might not be. <fn21fc> Updates are released by find?novel</fn21fc>


    “I’m not eating dinner at home tonight.”


    Tina didn’t answer her previous question, just looked up, surprised. “Where are you going?”


    “To see Theo. I’m not giving up on my shot with the Newtons.”


    “Just be careful. Nina’s been with Theo nonstop for months. You show up out of the blue, it’s going to cause drama<i>.</i>”


    “I know what I’m doing.”


    Nina? Please. She’d handled worse.